AUTOMOTIVE

Automotive Shift Tube

Car console shifter tubes have traditionally been manufactured from machined tubing. Middleville Tool & Die reviewed this part and recognized an opportunity to improve and existing manufacturing process while reducing cost. MTD has developed a proprietary method that transformed the formally machined parts into metal stampings. This stamped design has many benefits, including a significant cost savings.

Exhaust Hanger Bracket

Car and truck exhaust hanger brackets have traditionally been designed as a two piece weldment. A stamped metal bracket with a cold drawn rod MIG welded to it has served the industry well, but at times has been lacking in dimensional accuracy. MTD has developed a proprietary method that transformed this two piece weldment into a one piece stamping. This one piece design has many benefits, including improved dimensional accuracy.

Automotive Headrest Tube

This part has traditionally been manufactured by welding a tube to a fine blanked stamping. After welding, the part had to go through several secondary operations to add additional features and requalify the part for dimensional accuracy. MTD has developed a proprietary method that transformed this part into a one piece design made from Ultra High Strength Steel (UHSS). This one piece design has many benefits, including a significant cost savings.

Office

Furniture

OFFICE CHAIR TUBE AND BRACKET COMBINATION

Previously this component was produced by welding a stamped bracket to a section of cut-to-length electro-welded steel tubing. MTD’s product engineers redesigned the part utilizing our Wrapped Tubular Stamping Technology. Our redesigned part eliminated one stamping, eliminated all welding, and resulted in a 60% cost savings for our customer.

Office Chair Rolled Tube And Bracket Combination

Previously this component was produced by welding a stamped bracket to a section of cut-to-length electro-welded steel tubing. MTD’s product engineers redesigned the part utilizing our Wrapped Tubular Stamping Technology. Our redesigned part eliminated one stamping, eliminated all welding, and resulted in a 60% cost savings for our customer.

CORNER POST

This part had been previously produced using a casting process. MTD’s product engineers redesigned the part utilizing our Wrapped Tubular Stamping Technology. The redesigned part eliminated the cast design and the need for an expensive secondary machining process. The results was a significant cost reduction for our customer.

PED HEAD BASE

This part had been previously procured from China. Manufactured using a stamped plate with a secondary tapping operation, a threaded rod was staked to the stamped metal plate. Using MTD’s Wrapped Tubular Stamping Technology the part was redesigned and patented as a two piece stamped assembly. The benefits of this two piece design include a significant cost and weight savings.

PED HEAD BASE

This part had been previously procured from China. Manufactured using a stamped plate with a secondary tapping operation, a threaded rod was staked to the stamped metal plate. Using MTD’s Wrapped Tubular Stamping Technology the part was redesigned and patented as a two piece stamped assembly. The benefits of this two piece design include a significant cost and weight savings.

CORNER POST

This part had been previously produced using a casting process. MTD’s product engineers redesigned the part utilizing our Wrapped Tubular Stamping Technology. The redesigned part eliminated the cast design and the need for an expensive secondary machining process. The results was a significant cost reduction for our customer.

Appliance

Appliance Handles

In the past appliance handles have been produced by either bending or cutting an aluminum extrusion or by hydroforming stainless steel tubing. MTD has patented a manufacturing process that produces parts with a more defined geometry than was previously achievable with traditional manufacturing processes. Using MTD’s Wrapped Tubular Stamping Technology the part was redesigned and patented as a one piece Class A stamping. This benefits of this one piece include a 20% reduction in material usage, a 30% reduction in labor, resulting in a significant reduction in cost.

Emissions

Control

DEF PIPE

Traditionally made as a hydroformed part or as a two piece stamped clamshell weldment, MTD’s product engineers redesigned the part as a one piece stamping using our Wrapped Tubular Stamping Technology. The benefits of our one piece stamped design were revolutionary. First, we eliminated the need to use a slow and expensive hydroforming process. Second, we eliminated the need to use a stamped clamshell design which possess many inherent design issues that leads to ongoing quality and manufacturing issues for our customers. The benefits to our one piece design was improved quality, reduced weight, and reduced cost.

INLET TUBE

MTD’s product engineers engaged with our customer on a VA/VE project to eliminate the issues with the clamshell design. Using our Wrapped Tubular Stamping Technology MTD developed a two piece design that eliminated the manufacturing issues while increasing the overall accuracy for the part. The benefits of our two piece design was improved quality and reduced cost.

TUBES

Historically made using cut to length tubing and CNC tube bending with secondary end forming operations, MTD’s product engineers developed a proprietary process using our Wrapped Tubular Stamping Technology that allows MTD to stamp a part with the desired geometry, wall thickness, material grade, and diameter (even if different from end to end) without the need for expensive secondary forming operations. The benefits to our customers are increased part accuracy, and reduced cost.

Alternative

Energy

Driving Product Innovation

As alternative energy technology becomes more mainstream and production volumes increase, MTD is leveraging its Wrapped Tubular Stamping Technology to drive product innovations in this growing field. Whether it be electrified vehicle (fuel cell) technology or solar, wind and geothermal technology, MTD’s product designers are hard at work developing solutions for this emerging market. MTD is committed to sustainability in our own plants as well as helping our customers develop products that creates a sustainable tommorow.